How to Perform Umrah Step by Step: A Simple Guide for Pakistani Pilgrims

Quick answer: to perform Umrah you (1) enter Ihram and make the intention before the Miqat, (2) recite the Talbiyah, (3) do seven rounds of Tawaf around the Kaaba, (4) pray two rak'ahs and drink Zamzam, (5) walk seven laps of Sa'i between Safa and Marwah, and (6) shave or trim your hair. That is the whole Umrah — for most pilgrims it is done in a few hours after reaching Makkah.

Ask anyone preparing for their first trip and you will hear the same question: Umrah ka tarika kya hai, and what exactly do I do when I land? This guide walks through each step in the order you will do it, written for pilgrims flying from Pakistan. It follows the awareness guides published by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Nusuk platform, linked at the end. It is a practical overview, not a fatwa — for detailed rulings that apply to your situation, please ask a qualified scholar.

Before You Leave Pakistan

• Learn the words. Memorise the intention and the Talbiyah (below) at home, so you are not reading them for the first time on the plane.
• Men: buy two Ihram sheets — the izar (lower) and rida (upper). White is recommended. A belt or clips to hold them are allowed. Our Umrah packing checklist covers the rest.
• Women need no special garment — loose, modest, plain clothing. See our women's Umrah guide.
• Prepare at home or at the airport. The Ministry's guide says it is Sunnah to take a bath (ghusl) and apply fragrance before entering Ihram, and to enter Ihram after a prayer. Trim nails and hair before you start, because cutting them is not allowed once you are in Ihram.

Step 1: Enter Ihram and Make the Intention at the Miqat

Ihram is the sacred state you enter for Umrah. The Ministry's Ihram guide says it is not permitted to pass a Miqat (the fixed boundary points around Makkah) without being in Ihram if you intend Umrah. The five Mawaqit are Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali, about 420 km from Makkah), Al-Juhfah (about 187 km), Qarn al-Manazil (about 94 km), Yalamlam (about 115 km) and Dhat Irq (about 92 km).

For flights from Pakistan: all 287 departures on our current list land in Jeddah (a few connect through Muscat or Abu Dhabi first), and Jeddah is inside the Miqat. So you cross the Miqat in the air. The Ministry notes that airlines heading to Jeddah usually announce when the aircraft is level with the Miqat. The easy way is to wear your Ihram clothes before boarding (or before the last leg), pray two rak'ahs if you can, and make the intention when the announcement comes. If your group goes to Madinah first, you enter Ihram at Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali) when you travel from Madinah to Makkah.

The intention is made in the heart; saying it aloud is fine: "Labbayka Allahumma Umrah" (O Allah, here I am for Umrah). If you fear illness or something else may stop you finishing, the Ministry's guide gives the condition you may add: "Fa in habasani habis, fa mahilli haythu habastani" — if something prevents me, I will leave Ihram where I am prevented.

Once you are in Ihram, certain things are not allowed until your Umrah ends:

Step 2: Recite the Talbiyah

From the moment of intention, keep repeating the Talbiyah:

Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.
Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. All praise, blessings and dominion belong to You. You have no partner.

Men recite it aloud; women say it quietly. Keep it up on the road to Makkah and while entering Masjid al-Haram. You stop the Talbiyah when you begin Tawaf. Most groups go to the hotel first to drop bags and rest briefly — that is fine, as long as you stay in Ihram.

Step 3: Tawaf — Seven Rounds Around the Kaaba

Tawaf starts at the corner with the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad), which is marked by a green light on the wall opposite. Following the Ministry's Umrah guide:

1. Stand roughly in line with the Black Stone, face it, raise your right hand and say "Allahu Akbar". Touching or kissing the stone is Sunnah, but in the crowd pointing is enough — never push.
2. Walk counter-clockwise with the Kaaba on your left. Each time you pass the Black Stone counts one round; do seven.
3. At the Yemeni Corner (the corner before the Black Stone) touch it with your right hand if you can, without kissing; if not, just walk on.
4. Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone, recite: "Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil-akhirati hasanah, wa qina 'adhaban-nar". On the rest of each round, make any du'a or dhikr in your own language — there is no fixed du'a for each round.
5. Men only: keep the right shoulder bare during this Tawaf (idtiba'), and walk briskly with short steps in the first three rounds (raml) if the crowd allows.

If the ground floor (mataf) is too crowded, Tawaf on the upper floors is valid. Do not walk against the flow or stop suddenly. Keep count of your rounds — some pilgrims use a small tally counter.

Step 4: Pray Two Rak'ahs and Drink Zamzam

After the seventh round, men cover the right shoulder again. Pray two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim if there is space, or anywhere else in the mosque — the Ministry's guide says either is fine. It is Sunnah to recite Surah Al-Kafirun in the first rak'ah and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second. Then drink Zamzam water, which is available all over the mosque, and make du'a.

Step 5: Sa'i — Seven Laps Between Safa and Marwah

Follow the signs to Safa. As you approach, recite "Innas-Safa wal-Marwata min sha'a'irillah" (Al-Baqarah 2:158). On Safa, face the Kaaba, raise your hands, praise Allah and make du'a, then walk towards Marwah.

• Safa to Marwah is one lap; Marwah back to Safa is the second. Laps 1, 3, 5 and 7 go Safa → Marwah, so you finish at Marwah. The Ministry says many pilgrims get this wrong and count a round trip as one.
• Men walk quickly between the two green lights; women walk normally throughout.
• On Marwah, repeat what you did on Safa: face the qiblah and make du'a.
• The Mas'a is about 394 metres each way, roughly 2.8 km for all seven laps; the Ministry gives 45 to 60 minutes as the average time.
• Sa'i runs on the basement, ground and second floors, and a mezzanine floor is set aside for electric wheelchairs.

Step 6: Shave or Trim Your Hair (Halq or Taqsir)

Men shave the head completely (halq) or trim the hair (taqsir). Women gather their hair and cut about a fingertip's length from the ends — Nusuk puts it at roughly 1–2 cm. The Ministry advises using the licensed barbers around the Haram; cutting inside the Sa'i area is not required. If you go back to your hotel first, you stay in Ihram until the hair is cut.

With that, your Umrah is complete. You can change into normal clothes and all the Ihram restrictions end. Alhamdulillah.

Notes for Women

• The Talbiyah is said quietly, and there is no raml or idtiba' and no fast walking between the green lights in Sa'i.
• The niqab and gloves are not worn in Ihram; a woman may still cover her face in front of non-mahram men.
• For questions such as what to do if your period starts during the trip, ask a qualified scholar before you travel, so you know what applies to you.

For the Hanafi rulings for ladies, every Umrah dua in Arabic, English and Urdu with its reference, and a free printable Urdu PDF, see our first-time Umrah guide with duas.

Elderly and Wheelchair Pilgrims

The Ministry's guide lists manual wheelchairs and golf carts for Tawaf and Sa'i inside the Grand Mosque, with wheelchair entry through the Al-Shubaika entrance, and a mezzanine Sa'i floor for electric wheelchairs. Upper floors are calmer for Tawaf, and there is no need to do Tawaf and Sa'i back-to-back if you need a rest in between. Our guide for elderly pilgrims has more on pacing and hotel choice.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Crossing the Miqat on the plane without Ihram — put the clothes on before boarding.
• Counting Safa → Marwah → Safa as one lap of Sa'i.
• Starting Tawaf away from the Black Stone line, or walking with the Kaaba on your right.
• Pushing towards the Black Stone. Pointing is enough, and hurting others is not.
• Repeating extra Umrahs back-to-back until exhausted — the Ministry advises against repeating Umrah excessively on one trip.

Performing Umrah with Diyanat Travels

Every Diyanat Travels group has a group leader who guides pilgrims through these steps in person — from when to put on Ihram on your route to the first Tawaf and Sa'i together after arrival. Airport transfers and Makkah–Madinah transport are included, as set out on our Umrah transport page. To pick a date and hotel, compare Umrah packages 2026 from Pakistan, hotels near the Haram, our cheapest groups, the November and December departures, or the city pages for Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. After your Umrah, plan your visits with our ziyarat guide.

Sources

Checked on 25 October 2026. Arrangements inside the Grand Mosque can change; always follow the signs and staff on the day, and ask a qualified scholar about rulings for your own situation.

1. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah — Umrah awareness guide (PDF): Tawaf, Sa'i, shaving or trimming, services in the Grand Mosque
2. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah — Ihram awareness guide (PDF): Mawaqit, intention, Talbiyah, prohibitions
3. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah — Umrah pillars
4. Nusuk — the Umrah journey, step by step